Mezzaluna

A curved, half-moon-shaped blade with a handle at each end, rocked back and forth over herbs and vegetables on a cutting board to mince them finely and quickly.

Material & Construction

A single curved steel blade, sometimes double-bladed for faster mincing, with a wooden or plastic handle fixed at each end for a two-handed rocking grip.

Traditional Uses

Finely mincing herbs, garlic, and vegetables with a rapid rocking motion, particularly associated with preparing soffritto and other finely chopped bases for Italian cooking.

Modern Availability / Equivalents

A standard chef's knife achieves a similar result with a rocking chop, though the mezzaluna's dual-handled design allows faster, more consistent mincing for some cooks.

Care & Maintenance

Hand-wash and dry promptly; sharpen regularly given the fine mincing work the blade is used for.